Former Eagle Andre Waters Commits Suicide

[D.C.]

Very sad news:

TAMPA, Fla. -- Andre Waters, a defensive back who spent most of his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound early Monday. He was 44.

His body was found at about 1:30 a.m. at his Tampa home, the medical examiner's office said. He had shot himself in the head. Toxicology reports were ordered and results will be available in four to six weeks, the office said.

[snip]

Waters, an assistant football coach at Fort Valley State in Georgia, joined the Eagles out of Cheyney State in 1984 and played with them at cornerback and safety through 1993. He was known as one of the NFL's hardest hitters and often was fined for some of his tackles. He spent his last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.

To read the whole article, go here. (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2669517)

[D.C.]

It has been reported that Waters suicide has been linked to characteristics of early onset Alzheimers caused by concussions suffered during his playin days.

Brain damage caused on the football field ultimately led to the suicide of former NFL defensive back Andre Waters, according to a forensic pathologist who studied Waters' brain tissue.

Bennet Omalu of the University of Pittsburgh told The New York Times that Waters' brain tissue resembled that of an 85-year-old man and that there were characteristics of early stage Alzheimer's. Omalu told the newspaper he believed the damage was related to multiple concussions Waters sustained during his 12-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals.

Waters was 44 when he committed suicide last November.

Omalu said trauma was a significant factor in Waters' brain damage, "no matter how you look at it, distort it, bend it."

The pathologist also told the newspaper the signs of depression that family members described Waters as exhibiting in his final years likely was caused by the brain trauma. Had he lived, Omalu said, the former player would have been fully incapacitated within 10 years.


The rest of the article can be found here (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AlmFCjqhYRNoF9RH1d0FadtDubYF?slug=ap-waterssuicide&prov=ap&type=lgns). It is quite interesting.

[Wolverine]

Here's another story which focuses a bit more on Webster's case:

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_018163150.html

There's also been some concern that heading a soccer ball too often can cause brain damage. Here's a story from England:

His powerfully headed goals made Jeff Astle a favourite with the fans and helped him win a place in the England team.

But an inquest ruled yesterday that heading heavy, often rain-sodden, leather footballs also caused Astle's death at the age of 59.

In a groundbreaking ruling, South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh recorded a verdict of "death by industrial disease" on the former West Bromwich Albion striker.

<snip>

He suffered from eating disorders, became incapable of doing things for himself and eventually could not recognise his three children. He died in January.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,838120,00.html

They use a lighter ball now so current players may not be as much at risk.